On Saturday 9th November there will be an opportunity to explore the Franciscan life with Sisters and Brothers, ask questions and watch a DVD about life as a Sister and Brother. Please contact Sr Maureen for further details by clicking here. A flyer may be found by clicking here (please feel free to print it out!)
To mark this significant anniversary, an ecumenical team had put together a series of events that marked the movements of the friars in the first few months of their arrival in England. It began on 9th September, with a gathering on the beach with a prayer and then a search for a stone with a hole in it (9th 1&1a). The significance of this became clearer after we had walked to St Edmund’s Chapel, in central Dover, one of the few almost- 800 years old buildings in Dover. It was here that pilgrims came, with their holed stone, when they arrived on the English shore, so the friars would have followed this unusual, but already well-established custom. At the chapel, (9th 2 & 3) the pilgrims would pray about the purpose of their pilgrimage – for healing, renewed faith, the well-being of their family, or whatever – before setting off on their journey to Canterbury. Canterbury – Rome was one of the main European pilgrim routes in medieval Europe.(9th 4)
On 10th September, after an early morning Mass on Dover beach, (10th 1-3 )then a simple breakfast, two groups of pilgrims set off to walk to Canterbury (10th 4-5). The main group walked the whole way, aiming to get to Canterbury by the early evening, and a small group (6 of us) went by car to Womanswold, and 5 of us (Christopher John SSF, Sian Yates TSSF, Pat Mossop TSSF, Judi N/CSF and Maureen CSF) then walked the rest of the way to Canterbury (10th 2) (the 6th person walked part of the way then went back for the car), arriving in time for the service of Evening Prayer in the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral, led by Christopher John. (10th 6-8).
After Evening Prayer, attended by around 70 people including Roman Catholic Franciscans (Third Order Regular sisters, First Order friars, Third Order Friars, a Poor Clare, and Secular Franciscans) as well as Anglicans from the First Order sisters and brothers, and tertiaries, Companions and other friends, there was a short talk by a historian about the arrival of the friars in Canterbury. Those first friars very soon split into two groups, one remaining in Canterbury, the ecclesiastical centre of the day, the other group going to London, the economical and political centre. Within a few months, both groups having increased in number, they were able to establish a presence in Oxford, which with its new university was the educational centre of England. Subsequently, they spread to other locations, as well as expanding their mission and ministries in those places.
The following day, 11th September, the Canterbury celebrations continued with Morning prayer (at 10.30 am) in the cathedral crypt, led this time by the Roman Catholics, and then an Anglican Eucharist in the Greyfriars gardens, ( 11th 2-6 with no. 5 in 3 parts) the actual building (11th 1) being inaccessible due to essential building works taking place. We had two short, brilliant sermons, very different from one another, from Samuel during Morning Prayer in the crypt and Micael Christoffer at the Eucharist in Greyfriars gardens.
The London-based celebrations took place on 17th September, with the double celebration of 800 years since St Francis received the stigmata, as well as the arrival of the friars. After Morning Prayer in the Anglican Southwark Cathedral, groups of people made pilgrimage,(17th 1-4) by a slow route, to the Roman Catholic Southwark Cathedral (St George’s) (17th 5 & 6) for a midday Mass, followed by lunch and then time in the Lambeth Palace garden (17th 7). The afternoon concluded there with a symbolic watering of some fig tree saplings of ecumenical significance, and a blessing.
The third part of the celebrations took place on Friday evening and Saturday morning, 20 and 21 September, in Oxford where, appropriately, the Saturday event was two lectures relating to Franciscans in England.
Congratulations to Br Martin John who was Ordained to the Priesthood at a service in St Philip’s Cathedral in Birmingham by the Rt Revd Dr Michael Volland (Bishop of Birmingham). Martin John – who is resident in the St Francis’ House in Birmingham and Curate at St Matthew’s Church in Perry Beeches was Ordained alongside another eleven women and men who will continue to serve as Priests in their ‘Title’ Parishes.
On the 10th of September 1224 a group of Franciscan Friars arrived in Dover under the leadership of Agnellus of Pisa and from there travelled to Canterbury in order to ask for the Archbishop’s blessing on their Mission. This marked the beginning of the Franciscan Order in England (and in the United Kingdom as a whole). To mark this important date various events are being organised in September and more information may be found by clicking here.
Sophia was admitted to the Community of St Francis as a postulant, on 26 June, at St Alphege’s Oratory, Southwark. In the photo taken outside the chapel afterwards, are (back row) Joyce, Maureen, and Judi, and in the front: Sophia and Gina. The dress code was ‘informal’, as the day was far too hot to wear habits!
Following in the footsteps of many before us, the three current SSF/CSF Novices, Simeon, Felix and Judi led by Brother Martin John took part in a Franciscan mission week in June. The host was St Matthews Church, Perry Beeches, Birmingham, where Martin John is serving his curacy.
The timetable for the week was busy and diverse, encompassing activities from indoor bowls with some of the congregation members to a drop in session for local college students.
The week of course stretched us in some ways and in others we found strengths that we did not know we had, for instance Simeon proved to be an ace at bowls, despite having never played it before. For many of us, both the mission team and some members of the congregation, the highlight of the week was a visit to a local Gurdwara, where we were not only physically fed but treated to a marvellous spiritually enriching discussion. Psalm 51.6 sprang to mind, “ You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart “ The gentleman who led us, was keen not only to explain about the Sikh faith, but to emphasize that we are all on a path to holiness and was interested to draw out the parallels in both of our holy scriptures and practices. Everyone found it a really positive experience.
There was a good turnout for our Franciscan talk, summarising our daily lives and then opening up to questions. The feedback was that it was an informative and interesting evening.
Felix preached on Sunday rounding the week off by encouraging the congregation that every act of service in Christ’s name, no matter how miniscule (like a mustard seed) was worthwhile.
Over 300 organizations that have some aspect of care of nature in their activities encouraged their supporters to attend the Restore Nature Now march on 22 June in London. So the range of people was diverse, from National Trust, RSPB, RHS, Woodland Trust, Save our Oceans, to Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil, and localised conservation projects. The groups assembled on Park Lane in four blocs: woodlands, water, air and land. This meant that there were distinctive themes that onlookers could see as the march progressed along to Piccadilly, then round an edge of Trafalgar Square to Whitehall and Parliament Square, where there was a portable stage. With between 80,000 and 100,000 people, there were far too many to be contained in Parliament Square, so there were relay speakers and screens on Whitehall. Felix and Hugh travelled up from Hilfield, and joined with a Christian bloc that had particularly chosen to march in the ‘land’ section; a pre-march church service near the start at the route was very well attended. Maureen had offered to be a steward, which meant being out on the route for longer, and wearing a hi-viz pink vest.
The aim of the march was indicate to whoever the next government will be that there needs to be more support for farmers, who manage 70% of UK land, to help them farm in more environmentally friendly and protective ways; to make polluters pay – ie to stop pollution, promote climate recovery, and to end new fossil fuels; provide more protected space for nature; put the right to a healthy environment into law, and to ensure fair and effective climate action.
The organisers of the march expect to have to keep reminding the government of these requirements for nature, so if you are interested in joining a march in future, keep an eye on a website of a conservation organisation.
Sr Elizabeth’s ashes were interred in the Cemetery at Hilfield during the Joint Provincial Chapter. As her mortal remains were lowered into the ground the Sisters and Brothers sang the Kontakion for the Departed. Sr Elizabeth was ‘Mother’ for fifteen years and lately served as a Sister and Priest in east London. She was 92 years old and in the 65th year of Profession in vows. May she Rest in Peace!
Br Micael was commissioned as an Edinburgh Street Pastor at a service in Bruntsfield Evangelical Church following a delicious meal. Micael has served as a Street Pastor in Canterbury and Newcastle and is now serving in Edinburgh. More information about the Edinburgh Street Pastors may be found by clicking on the link here.
